Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, vice-presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), has threatened legal action against Elijah Ayodele, Primate of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church over allegations that he was secretly paid to undermine Peter Obi’s presidential ambition, escalating a growing clash between politics and prophecy ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
The former Kano State governor, through his lawyers, Magaji Mato Ibrahim, SAN & Co., accused the outspoken cleric of defamation following remarks made during a live-streamed church service that have since gone viral on social media. In the broadcast, Ayodele allegedly described Kwankwaso as “a fake to Obi,” claimed he would eventually betray the NDC presidential candidate, and suggested that his emergence as Obi’s running mate was the result of undisclosed payments.
In a formal demand letter, Kwankwaso’s legal team described the statements as false, reckless and malicious, arguing that they were capable of seriously damaging his reputation and undermining public confidence in his character and political credibility. The lawyers maintained that the allegations were presented as prophetic revelations without any factual basis and had been widely disseminated to millions of Nigerians through traditional and digital media platforms.
